Kayaking is a water activity where special vessels, kayaks, are used to navigate different kinds of water bodies. Kayaks have become increasingly popular as recreational vessels due to their superiority in several areas as compared to other customary water vessels.

Kayaking is an activity that has become common with many recreational facilities having navigable water bodies providing kayaks for revelers to enjoy some time in the water. Revelers use kayaks for several fun activities including sightseeing, especially along coasts or along water ways that have interesting physical features. Recreational kayakers also enjoy viewing marine wildlife up-close and other kayaking recreational activities include birdwatching and fishing.

As kayaking grows in popularity, individual kayakers are finding it necessary to purchase their own individual kayaks that they can use at their own leisure rather than depending on the kayaks that are restricted to particular recreation spots or kayaks for hire which are expensive and inconveniencing.

Individuals who want to buy personal kayaks often have different factors that they need to consider. The obvious factor that is usually considered is the cost of the kayak. For most people who want to buy kayaks simply for occasional recreational use in relatively calm environments, it is not necessary to buy a complicated kayak and most go for cheap kayaks.

However, there are experienced kayakers who need to buy kayaks for more complicated functions such as white water kayaking, show boating, kayak racing, and other specialized uses. When shopping for these specialized kayaks, the buyer needs to consider features such as the shape of the hull, the size of the craft, the weight of the craft, the material used to build the kayak, and the kayak’s general performance in certain water conditions. Usually, these kayaks are more expensive due to these special features.

There are kayaks that are bought for fishing. They are known as angler kayaks. These kayaks are usually built specifically for fishing and they are fitted with extra features that enhance the angler’s fishing experience. They are usually fitted with some fishing paraphernalia and have features that make the kayak more stable when fishing. They usually have more storage space necessary for the captured fish.

There are recreational kayaks that are designed to hold more than one pilot. They are known as tandem kayaks. There are also some recreational kayaks that are designed to accommodate pets such as dogs.

When buying kayaks, an important thing to consider is the portability of the kayak. The most portable kayak ideal for recreational use is the inflatable kayak. There are also foldable kayaks although they are bulkier and heavier.